Cleaner appliance

ABSTRACT

An appliance designed for simple cleaning jobs comprising various components for introducing and mixing water, air, and detergent in the form of a jet stream that is directed onto a surface to be cleaned. The appliance includes a mixing valve for air and water, means for heating the air and water, means for introducing detergent into the mixture of air and water, and various components and controls to provide a self-contained mobile unit.

United States Patent Cannon 1 51 Apr. 4, 1972 i [22] Filed:

154] CLEANER APPLIANCE [72] Inventor: Charles Worth Cannon, 556 Meighan Boulevard, Gadsden, Ala. 35901 May 5, 1969 [21] App]. No.: 821,785

521 u.s.c| ..222/132,134/100,134/107, 222/146 H, 239/311, 239/4173 51 1m.c1 ..B05b7/l6 [58] Field oiSearch ..239/9, 311,417.3; 134/100, 134/101, 102, 107; 222/132, 135, 146 H, 146 HE [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,434,882 3/1969 Caroun ..134/l02 UX 1,806,365 5/1931 Paasche ..239/311 X 1,801,553 4/1931 Heimburger ..239/311 CLOROX TANK COMPRESSED AIR TANK

STORAGE STORAGE 317,712 5/1885 Brisben ..239/417.3 1,878,560 9/1932 Weir ...239/311 X 2,500,816 3/1950 Gird..... ....239/311 2,571,575 10/1951 Holmes ..239/9 Primary Examiner-Samuel F. Coleman Assistant Examiner-Frederick R. Handren Attorney-Emory L. Groff and Emory L. Groff, Jr.

[5 7] ABSTRACT An appliance designed for simple cleaning jobs comprising various components for introducing and mixing water, air, and detergent in the form of a jet stream that is directed onto a surface to be cleaned. The appliance includes a mixing valve for air and water, means for heating the air and water, means for introducing detergent into the mixture of air and water, and various components and controls to provide a self-contained mobile unit.

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures DETERGENT TANK COMPRESSED AIR TANK

WATER STORAGE PATHJTEDAPR 4 1972 SHEET 1 OF 2 T N E G R E T E D COMPRESSED TANK ' WATER STORAGE COMPRESSED {W AIR TANK

r111 I!!! III/I 1 III STORAGE INVENTOR. Charles Worth Cannon PATENTED R 4 I972 3,653,549

sum 2 BF 2 Air Pressure Storage Compressed Air Tank Heating Unit lNVENTOH. Charles Wonh Cannon CLEANER APPLIANCE BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a vertical section through an appliance constructed according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary section. on a larger scale, of parts of the appliance shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view, on a smaller scale, of the appliance.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows a cleaning appliance having a lower base compartment and an upper compartment 12. The base compartment 10 is mounted on casters 14 so that the appliance can easily be moved from place to place. Within the base compartment 10 is a storage area 16 around the outside, a motor 18 which drives an air compressor 20, and another storage compartment 22 underneath the motor and compressor. The air compressor 20 has an air inlet 24 and an air discharge 26. The storage areas 16, 22 may be used for storing hose and nozzle attachments, various brushes, detergents, valves, a fuse box or circuit breaker and a recoil mechanism for an electric plug in.

The upper compartment 12 includes a lower section having a compressed air tank 28 into which the compressed air discharge 26 leads. Within the center of the upper compartment 12 is an air and water heating unit which include a container 30 sealed off from the compressed air tank 28 and in which there is mounted an electrical heating element core 32 having a thermostat control 34 which can be regulated by a control unit at the top of the appliance. There are two heating conduits or coils around the heating element core 32. One coil 36 is for heating water and takes in water through the pipe 38 and valve 40 and discharges the heated water through the pipe 42. The other coil 44 is for heating air and takes in air from the compressed air tank 28 through the pipe 46 and discharges the heated air through the pipe 48. The two pipes 42 and 48 lead to a mixing valve comprising or having a discharge opening 50 at the end of a frusto-conical housing 52. Within the mixing valve is a conical plug 54 which can be raised and lowered in the frusto-conical housing 52 by means of suitable linkage leading to an adjustable control knob 56 at the top of the appliance. The linkage may comprise rods 60, 62 and gears forming a right angle drive 64. It will be apparent that raising and lowering the plug 54 will adjust the amount of air flowing out of the discharge opening 50. It will be observed that the previously described air discharge pipe 48 leads to the mixing valve to discharge air out of the discharge opening 50.

A conduit 66 surrounds the mixing valve. This conduit 66 is connected at its bottom to the container 30 and leads to discharge above the appliance. The water discharge pipe 42 discharges into the conduit 66 and the previously described mixing valve is located within the conduit. Accordingly, air and water are combined and mixed in the lower part of conduit 66 and discharged at the upper end of conduit 66 where a base may be connected to carry the mixture to the desired area to be cleaned.

The upper chamber 12 also includes a detergent tank 68 and a CLOROX tank 70, the latter two tanks being sealed off from the compressed air tank 28 by the wall 72. The detergent tank 68 has a bottom conduit 74 leading to a discharge jet 76 via a regulating or control valve 78. The CLOROX tank has a similar conduit 80, valve 82 and jet 84.

The detergent tank 68 is pressurized by the pipe 86 which leads from the compressed air tank 28 through a regulating valve 88 to discharge into the tank 68 at 90. Thus, the air pressure in the detergent tank 68 will force the liquid detergent out of the jet 76. Similarly, the CLOROX tank 70 is pressurized through pipe 92 and regulator valve 94 to force the liquid CLOROX out of the jet 84.

The detergent tank 68 and CLOROX tank 70 are filled by temporarily removing the plugs 96 and 98 respectively.

An on-ofi switch 100 is provided to turn on the electricity to the heating unit 32 and to start the compressor motor 18. A.

temperature gage and regulator is provided at 102 to work in conjunction with the on-off switch 100 so that when the desired temperature is reached, the heater 32 will cut off. The regulator 102 is wired to the thermostat located on the heating unit. A pressure gauge and regulator 104 works in conjunction with on-off switch for cutting off the compressor motor 18 when the air pressure gets too high.

The previously described regulating valves 88 and 94 may be adjusted to control the amount of air used to force the liquid detergent and CLOROX out of their respective tanks. The regulating valves 88 and 94 regulate the valves 78, 82 on the conduits for the detergent and CLOROX respectively. With this arrangement, liquid cleaning aides of various viscosities may be used and the regulating valves 88 and 94 will provide for the necessary adjustment and control.

In operation, a hose (not shown) is attached to the conduit 66 at the top of the unit. The pipe 38 is attached to a water outlet by means of a hose. The electrical plug is plugged into an electrical outlet and the on-off switch 100 is turned on. The compressed air tank 28 will begin building up to its predetermined setting. At the same time the water is being heated to its predetermined setting. The regulating valves 88 and 94 are then adjusted to the proper detergent and CLOROX mix. The appliance is now ready to operate. A trigger is pressed on the discharge nozzle of the insulated hose (not shown) and out comes the mixture of water, air, and detergents in the form of a jet stream that literally blasts surfaces clean of dirt, grime, etc. Afterwards, if a rinse is desired, it is only necessary to turn off regulating valves 88 and 94. Further, if no air is desired, the control 56 may be turned to the off position to close off discharge orifice 50. In this event only water would be discharged.

The appliance has ample storage space for hoses, detergents, and various attachments. For servicing the appliance, an access-way covered by a panel 106 (FIG. 3) is provided.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A cleaning appliance comprising a compartment, said compartment including air inlet means connected to a source of compressed air and water inlet means connected to a source of water supply, a storage tank for the compressed air, means for heating the air and water, a mixing device for mixing the air and water including an opening through which the air is discharged, said heating means comprising a heating element including a coil for heating air and a coil for heating water in heat transfer relationship with said heating element, said coils including discharge pipes leading to said mixing device, a conduit within which said mixing device is disposed, said mixing device including adjustable means for regulating the size of said discharge opening, said heated water passing around said adjustable means and mixing with the air downstream of said discharge opening, a storage tank for detergent, means for introducing said detergent into the mixture of air and water within said conduit, and regulator means operable to control the pressure in said detergent tank with air from said compressed air storage tank to force said detergent out of its tank and into the mixture of air and water.

2. A cleaning appliance according to claim 1, wherein said compressed air tank is supplied with air from a motor driven compressor mounted on said appliance, said heating means being mounted in an enclosure in the center of said compressed air tank.

3. A cleaning appliance according to claim 2, wherein said detergent tank has a discharge pipe with a valve therein leading to a discharge jet, said jet being located in said conduit to discharge detergent into said conduit.

4. A cleaning appliance according to claim 1, wherein a conduit connects the compressed air tank with the detergent tank to pressurize the latter, said regulator means controlling the pressure in said detergent tank and the rate of detergent discharge through said jet. 

1. A cleaning appliance comprising a compartment, said compartment including air inlet means connected to a source of compressed air and water inlet means connected to a source of water supply, a storage tank for the compressed air, means for heating the air and water, a mixing device for mixIng the air and water including an opening through which the air is discharged, said heating means comprising a heating element including a coil for heating air and a coil for heating water in heat transfer relationship with said heating element, said coils including discharge pipes leading to said mixing device, a conduit within which said mixing device is disposed, said mixing device including adjustable means for regulating the size of said discharge opening, said heated water passing around said adjustable means and mixing with the air downstream of said discharge opening, a storage tank for detergent, means for introducing said detergent into the mixture of air and water within said conduit, and regulator means operable to control the pressure in said detergent tank with air from said compressed air storage tank to force said detergent out of its tank and into the mixture of air and water.
 2. A cleaning appliance according to claim 1, wherein said compressed air tank is supplied with air from a motor driven compressor mounted on said appliance, said heating means being mounted in an enclosure in the center of said compressed air tank.
 3. A cleaning appliance according to claim 2, wherein said detergent tank has a discharge pipe with a valve therein leading to a discharge jet, said jet being located in said conduit to discharge detergent into said conduit.
 4. A cleaning appliance according to claim 1, wherein a conduit connects the compressed air tank with the detergent tank to pressurize the latter, said regulator means controlling the pressure in said detergent tank and the rate of detergent discharge through said jet. 